


The Games We Play

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Writer’s Month 2019 [7]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Parents, Bisexual Ben Solo, Bisexual Poe Dameron, Endgame Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Family Fluff, M/M, Past Phasma/Ben Solo, Pining Ben Solo, Romantic Fluff, Single Father Ben Solo, Single Father Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-07 09:23:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20307172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: After his divorce from Phasma, Ben Solo didn’t think he would find love again — at least until he met Poe Dameron at his daughter’s soccer game.





	The Games We Play

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: For the prompt “sports”. It took a while for me to think up, but I think I got it. Also, holy shit, I’m so sorry it’s late!

It’s at his nine year old daughter’s soccer game that he meets Poe Dameron, and it’s there that he swears that his world changes — not so much turned upside down as much as shifted at least a little bit, towards a direction that might very well be upside down. Ben’s casually dressed, in a T-shirt and jeans — the “dad gear”, as his sister Rey would say. He sits down, on one of those ridiculous folding chairs that seem to mostly exist to make him feel too large for it. He’s too muscular, too tall, for these absurd things. 

“This spot taken?” A voice, soft and pretty, and Ben turns around only to see a, really, strikingly beautiful man to match the voice. He’s dressed simply, in orange, and yet it looks...well, good on him. Curly black hair. Expressive brown eyes. He’s short and almost deceptively delicate-looking, in contrast to Phasma, who was tall and blonde and imposing, probably the only person who could match him height-wise. But he’s striking, and Ben is momentarily speechless at the man’s presence. 

“No,” he says. “Not at all.” 

The man sits down, comfortably — he seems pretty well-adjusted to the sound of gleefully shrieking kids kicking the soccer ball all over the place. Ben alternates between keeping his eye on Annie and talking to this man. 

“I’m Poe, by the way,” the man says. He smiles, and fuck, but Ben is weak for that smile. It’s radiant and bright. “Poe Dameron.”

”Ben Solo,” Ben says.

”Nice! Good to meet you, Ben.” Fuck, but that smile shouldn’t make him weak. “This your first soccer game?”

”Not really.” Annie’s really going for it, Ben can’t help but notice — sprinting after the ball, dodging other kids. She’s driven to win, he’ll say that. Ben has to admire that about her, among other things. 

Everything about your child seems wonderful when you’re a parent. Even the faults. 

“It’s the first time I’ve...well, met someone like you,” Ben says. “I mean, well...I don’t talk to many people...”

”No worries,” Poe says. “Really.”

Annie scores the goal, and Ben can’t help but grin as he claps — even if he’s the only one who’s doing it, does it really matter? 

The game goes on. And Ben alternates between watching Annie and talking with Poe. Even as Poe makes him smile, laugh, he wonders, amidst the fluttering in his chest, about the last time he felt so at ease with someone. 

***

”Daddy, did you see it? Did you see what I did?”

Annie is more than excited even talking to him about it, about kicking the ball into the goal and scoring. Ben smiles even as he listens; he can’t turn around and face her directly, because driving, but he can listen to her talk about just how cool it really was. That’s his girl. That’s his Annie. A little lioness, as Phasma would have said. That was when they were still together, that was a long time ago. 

“You did it, little lioness,” he says. “You truly did.” He could say that overall, today was a good day. Between his daughter’s soccer game and his meeting with Poe Dameron, he could say that today was...interesting. Good interesting, at least. He never thought that he could, actually, find anyone else after Phasma just disappeared, but Poe...

He shouldn’t be feeling shy and giddy just from a conversation with Poe Dameron. Maybe he’s just been lonely. After Phasma, he’d do just about anything to fill that void, wouldn’t he? Anything at all. 

But Poe was charming. Charming and sweet and funny. Anyone would be drawn to him. Anyone at all. 

They pull into the garage at Starkiller Drive and get out. Even as they enter the house, their black lab Niney leaps on Annie, who hugs him, giggling. 

“Hey, Niney,” Ben says affectionately, “Down, boy. You’re gonna topple poor Annie.”

Annie giggles again. They have dinner, draw for a bit, and later, long after he tucks Annie in and says goodnight to her, Ben looks at his phone. Poe had given him his number, before they ultimately left. Poe also mentioned he had a daughter himself, who was also on Annie’s soccer team. Ben wishes that he had met Poe earlier, if he’s to be perfectly honest. Such a charming man. So kind. So funny. 

Is he falling in love? So soon, after Phasma? Ben doesn’t know. But he definitely knows things are going to get a lot more interesting. 


End file.
